Internal-combustion engine



s. E. HARLAND; INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I0. 1919 Patented July 20, 1920.

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S. E. HARLAND. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. I919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented July 20, 1920.

Gnome S. E. HARLAND. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, I919.

Patented July 20, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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SILAS E. HARLAND, 0F 0 DEAN VIEl/V, VIRGINIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

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Application filed June 10. 1919.

T0 IJZZ whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that 1. Sims E. HARLAND, a

citizen of the l nited States. residing at.

Ocean View, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Internal Combustion Engines. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines of the opposed piston type.

An important object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine of the above-mentioned character. wherein pairs of opposed pistons areprovided, with means for introducing and exhausting the charge to and from the cylinders, such means serving as a shaft for transmitting power.

A further object of the invention is to provide an engine of the above mentioned character. which is simple in construction, strong and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a central horizontal longitudinal sectional view through an engine embodying my invention;

2 is a transverse on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. t is a similar 4-t of Fig. l;

lfig. 5 is a perspective view of the housing casing;

6 is a side elevation of the rotatable valve and drive shaft; and

Figs. 7, 8, and 16 are detail transverse sections through the drive shaft and valve, partly diagrammatically, showing cycle of operation of the same.

n the drawings, wherein the purpose oi illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 11 desi nates cylinders, four of which are showfor the purpose of illustration. These cylinders are preferably.horizontally d eaten transversely of the en are o ed with y'ac sectional view, taken view, taken on line view, taken on line Specification of Letters Patent.

,3 a. a name. l atenleci onl no,

Serial No. 303 015.

Arranged at opposite sides of the engine are crank cases 13, bolted or otherwise rigidly secured thereto, as shown at 1 These crank cases preferably embody outer por tions 15, which are removable and may be held in place by bolts 16 or the like.

lilounted to rotate within these crank cases are crank shafts 17, the ends of which are journaled in bearings 18, as shown. These crank shafts embody cranks 19 having pivotal connection with pitmen 20, extending in 'ardly for connection with pistons 21. The pistons are arranged in opposed pairs, and reciprocate within the cylinder 11.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, a spark plug 22- leads into the upper side of each cylinder and is equi-distantly spaced from the ends thereof, the usual ignition system being employed to supply current to the spark plug.

The inlet and outlet of the gases to and from the cylinders is controlled by means of a device arranged beneath the cylinders and extend longitudinally of the engine. This device embodies a cylindrical housing 23, including an upper section 2% and a lower section these sections being held together by bolts 26 or the like. The upper section is cast integrally with the cylinders, while the lower section is separate. ll lounted to rotate within the housing 23 is a cylindrical combined power transmission shaft and tubular valve, designated by the numeral 27. This tube is provided with a longitudinally extending spiral wall 29, which divides the tube into longitudinal intake and exhaust chambers 29 and 30. The tube is provided with intake ports 31, leading into tie intake chamber 29 and exhaust ports 32, leading into the chamber 3 The po s 31 and 32 are arranged in t. insverse pal s, one are adapted to be alternately brought into registration with a port 33 formed the cylinder 11, in the lower por"ion thereo at a point equi-d stantly s aced iii? ends thereof. tube is main intake port 3-2.

tration with the intake groove a, int-he section 25., having connection with intake pipe q The 37 l ads in groove 37. i

in communication with the longitudinal chamber 30. This exhaust port 38 is in communication with the exhaust groove 39, which is identical with the inlet groove and leads into an exhaust groove (not shown) similar to the groove 37, forming an annular exhaust groove in permanent communication with the exhaust chamber 30. This annular exhaust groove leads into an exhaust pipe eO as shown.

The-tube 27 is provided at one end with a.v

trunnion all, having a gear l2 rigidly secured thereto. This gear is engaged by gears 43, rigidly secured to the crank shafts 17, as shown.

.In connection with each cylinder, the cycle of operation of the rotatable valve is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive. In Fig. 7, the inlet port 80 is in communication with the port 34 and the fresh charge is being fed to the cylinder. in Fig. 8 the port 3- is covered during the compression period and in Fig. 5) the ports remain covered during the explosion period, while in Fig. 10 the port 34 is incommunication with the exhaust port 32 during the period of scavenging.

It is to he understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Theccmbination with an internal combustion engine, of theopposed piston type having the usual intake and exhaust ports, of a power shaft driven by said engine having an enlarged portion provided with a central cavity, a wall dividing said cavity into compartments, ports formed in one of said compartments cooperating with the intake ports of the engine and ports in the other of said compartments communicating with the exhaust ports thereof.

:2. In an internal. combustion engine, a plurality of cylinders having pistons therein arranged in opposed sets, a crank shaft for each set, a gear mounted on each of said 0 'ank shafts, a power transmission shaft, a gear on said shaft meshing with the gears on said crank shaft. and an enlarged portion on said shaft forming a valve adapted to control the intake and exhaust of 'aid cylinders.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a cylindrical casing hav ing intake and exhaust ports communicating withthe cylinders thereof, a power shaft driven by said engine and having an enlarged portion extending through and he ting said casing, a cavity formed in said enlarged portion, a spirally arranged wall dividing said cavity into compartments, a groove formed in said casing communicating with a suitable source oft combustible fuel supply, a port connecting one of said com- )artments with said roove other )orts in said compartment communicating with the intake ports of said engine, ports in the other of said compartments communicating with the exhaust ports of said engine, a second groove in said casing communicating with an exhaust chamber, and a port connecting the last named compartment with said last named groove.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SILAS HARLAND.

H. C. Grass. 

